A brief overview of what happens from the time of the death or resignation of a pope to the public announcement of his successor, elected by the cardinals. The papal election takes place in a secret conclave held in the Sistine chapel. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color=''...
“It must be stated that Vatican II is upheld by the same authority as Vatican I and the Council of Trent, namely, the Pope and the College of Bishops in communion with him, and that also with regard to its contents, Vatican II is in...
Augustine on the divine love, known as charity, caritas, agape, that Jesus commanded us to have for one another in the last supper discourse of the Gospel of John. This sort of love is impossible for human beings without the help of grace -- it...
This excerpt from a catechetical instruction by St. Cyril of Jerusalem dates from the mid 4th Century, just a generation after the Council of Nicaea. At that time, the bishop of Jerusalem himself instructed the catechumens before baptism (today's RCIA), and this is a record...
The New Evangelization is all about testimony. Each is called to be a witness in both deed and word says Pope John Paul II and Vatican II....
The Second Vatican Council is often called a pastoral council since it issued so many practical directives for the renewal of the day to day life of the church. Many of the objectives of the council fathers have been implemented since Vatican II's close in...
People often think of the Catholic Church primarily in terms of being an institution. While the Church does have an institutional dimension, it is entirely at the service of proclaiming the word of God. It is a prophetic institution....
In 1969, then Fr. Josef Ratzinger, theologian and peritus (theological advisor to the bishops) at the Second Vatican Council, predicted that the Church of the future would be much smaller than it was in the sixties, at least in the western, developed world. But, the...
It is fitting that Pope John XXIII be canonized a saint by Pope Francis -- they share a focus on humility, prayer, the surprises of the Holy Spirit and breaking papal protocol to draw near to the simple people, Catholics and non-Catholics, believers and non-believers....
The writings of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch and one of the most inspiring of the Early Church Fathers, provide a revealing glimpse into the heart of an early Christian martyr as well as into the life and teaching of the Church just after the close...